African Fusion June 2019

Above: KEMPER’s ProfiMaster is a robust fume extraction filter unit for occasional to frequent use and low to medium extraction requirements. Features include: a high capacity disposable filter; easy filter replacement; and a 360° rotating and swivelling exhaust hood for optimum adjustment during welding. Right: KEMPER combines spot extraction units with shop/room ventilation systems for the overall benefit of all of the customer’s employees. a 3C business: cool, clever and clean,” says Lanz. While ‘cool’ implies comfort, it is also about an extraction technology that welders will absolutely want to use; ‘clever’ because the equipment and sys- tems operate completely automatically, reducing the effort on the welder and increasing efficiency; and ‘clean’ so that welders can work in a clean production environment and stay healthy. “When it comes to occupational safety, air sampling in the production environment considers not just the in- dividual welder but also the air quality for all other employees. We at KEMPER combine spot extraction units with shop/room ventilation systems – the spot extraction units for optimal extrac- tion at source and the shop systems for the overall benefit of everyone in the area. In the future, it will no longer be possible to comply with legal limits in any other way,” Lanz suggests. But digitalisation offers broader op- portunities: “Production of the future involves a combination of purposeful connectivity,wheremachines communi- cate with each other; when the welding torch and the extraction system send

he continues. “There was a time when skierswouldnever wear helmets. Today, it is quite simply one of the many cool accessories that nobody goes without on the slopes. Examples where health plays a role can often be found in many other areas andwe areworking tomake safety cool in the metalworking field of today. Switching on the extraction sys- tem should be as instinctive as putting on a car seat belt,” he argues. Attractive industrial design, coupled with superior functionality and con- nectivity are KEMPER’s current focuses. “Extraction systems are not just heavy square boxes. Our devices are fun and designed so that welders will want to use them,” he assures. But chic design alone cannot miti- gate against serious employee health issues. Welders are attracted to cool and personalised product images, as we see in the decorations of welding helmets. But the issue of occupational health and safety hasmuchwider implications. “A former head of the International Institute of Welding (IIW) once said that welding is a ‘3D technology: dirty, dull and dangerous’. I’ve been preaching for years that we should make welding

data about when and howmuch extrac- tion has to be applied, for example. “Predictive maintenance becomes smart maintenance. A system no lon- ger only indicates when its own filter is saturated, networked production thinks ahead and has analytics systems to optimise service calls and guarantee maximum service life of the system for the customer,” he predicts. “At KEMPER, we are currently think- ing digitally about all our products. The right infrastructure is now in place and it is up to manufacturing companies to fully exploit this potential. “We are not resting on our laurels, though. We are continuing to develop new extraction technology to meet our future metalworking needs,” Lanz concludes.

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June 2019

AFRICAN FUSION